Ratchet wrench



Nov. 16, 1937. I G w, HELDS 2,099,601

RATCHET WRENCH Filed March 7, 1936 gogge Z Z ZJS,

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE m'rcnnr WRENCHGeorge W. Fields, Atlanta, Ga. Application mm]. '1, 1936, Serial No.67,726 1 Claim. (CI. 81-60) My invention is an improvement in ratchetwrenches of that special type in which the nut engaging body portion isprovided with a ratchet wheel cooperating with a spring-actuated slidingpawl carried by a ring turnable on said body portion and having a handlefor manipulating the same in the operation of the wrench.

In the use of a wrench for tightening or removing a nut it sometimeshappens that the nut is so located with respect to adjoining parts thatit is necessary to move the wrench laterally into engagement with thenut so that the latter will enter the jaws between the outer endsthereof instead of from one side, and the principal object of myinvention therefore is to provide a ratchet wrench of this generalcharacter that will permit of its being used in various situations ofthe nut or head of the bolt, in the present instance by providing foropening one side of the wrench in aiior'ding access to the outer ends ofthe jaws.

A further object oi my invention is to provide a ratchet wrench of thistype in which one of the jaws is adjustable to accommodate the wrenchfor nuts of various sizes, and in which the several parts are soconstructed and arranged as to insure durability as well as facilitateoperation.

With these principal objects in view my invention comprises a ratchetwheel formed integral with a sliding jaw wrench in association with aring rotatable on the ratchet wheel and having a spring-actuated pawlengaging the ratchet teeth, a segment of both the ratchet wheel and ringbeing each hingediy connected at one end for outward swinging movementin permitting access to the outer ends of the jaws, together with meansfor securely locking the segmental portions in closed position, ashereinafter particularly described and more specifically set forth inthe appended claim.

In the drawing i'orming a part of this speciflcation:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a ratchet wrench constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the segmental sections at one side orthe wrench swung to open position ior access to the jaws.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line |l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the wrench.

Fig. 6 is a detail view or the spring-actuated sliding pawl carried bythe handle, and

Fig. I is a detail view illustrating a slight modiflcation or the hingedconnection for the segmental portion of the ratchet wheel.

In carrying out my invention the main or body portion of the wrench isin the form of a ratchet wheel l enlarged at one side to provide anauxiliary rim H (see Figs. 2 and 4) with a peripheral groove l2 thereinadjoining the ratchet teeth l3, and within this ratchet wheel thegripping jaws I l and I5 are located. The jaw I4 is an integral part ofthe ratchet wheel while the jaw I5 is slidable to and from the same, andfor this purpose it is mounted on a rack bar I6 which may be also formedintegral with the ratchet wheel. The sliding jaw is adjustable in theusual manner by means of a rotatable adjusting screw I! mounted on aspindle l8 and interposed between members l9 and also slidable on thespindle and con- 15 nected to the movable jaw at opposite sides of therack bar by short arms 2| and 22, whereby said sliding jaw l5 cooperateswith the fixed jaw M in gripping the nut between them, and although Ihave shown the opposing faces of the jaws as plain for operation on anut or other squared object it will be understood that the faces may beserrated for engaging round surfaces when it is desired to provide apipe wrench.

For turning the ratchet wheel having the gripping jaws a fiat ring 23 isrotatably mounted in the peripheral groove i2 and carries a spring-actuated sliding pawl 24 in normal engagement with the ratchet teeth, andfor turning the ring it is provided with a handle 25 extending from oneside of the same. As will be noted the sliding pawl is mounted on theshank of the handle in spaced bearings 26, 21, with the helical spring28 interposed between the bearing 21 and a washer 29 at the inner end ofthe enlarged portion or head of thepawi, whereby the pawl will beprojected into engagement with the ratchet teeth to ride over the samewhen the ring is turned in one direction-clockwise (Fig. 1)and willengage the teeth when the ring is turned in the otherdirectioncounterclockwise-for turning the ratchet wheel and nut. Formanually retracting the pawl it is provided with a rod 30 extendingparallel with its shank and above the bearings in which the pawl ismounted, said rod having an upturned outer end 3| for engagement of afinger in manipulating the pawl.

The ratchet wheel and ring each may be made in one piece, but thisrequires that in placing the wrench in engagement with the nut it mustbe slipped over the outer end thereof, and it is therefore an importantdesideratum of my invention that provision be incorporated for alsoengaging the nut by a lateral movement of the wrench or from either sidethereof. To accom- 5b plish this a segmental portion, 32, of the ratchetwheel, and a segmental portion, 33, of the ring are each cut out andhinged at one end to the ratchet wheel and ring respectively so thatthey may be opened out, as shown in Fig. 3, the segmental portion orhinged section of the ratchet wheel being adjacent the outer ends of thejaws of the wrench and of such length as to leave an openingcorresponding with the full adjustment of said jaws, while the segmentalportion of the ring is slightly longer so that it will not interferewith the swinging movement of the segment 32. These segments may belocked in closed position by any suitable fastening means, such forinstance as shown in the accompanying drawing and hereinafterparticularly described.

For connecting the segment 32 to the ratchet wheel it is reduced at itsinner end to form an ear 34 seated in a recess 35 in the ratchet wheeland pivotally connected thereto by means of a pivot pin 36, it beingnoted by reference to Fig. 3 that a portion, 31, of the ratchet wheel isextended in the arc of a circle to limit the inward movement of saidsegment, and that the outer end of the segment is also reduced inthickness, as at 38, to seat in a corresponding recess 39 in the ratchetwheel at one side of the opening formed by the segment. Although thesegment 33 of the turnable ring will hold the segment 32 in closedposition when said segment of the ring is locked in closed position, ashereinafter described, I may employ a metal piece 40 to fill in the gapbetween the inner enlarged end of the segment and the adjoining portionof the ratchet wheel, said metal piece being connected by hinge ll andwhen in locked position, as shown in Fig. 1, it is held in 1 place by aturn-button 42 pivoted to the ratchet wheel.

The segment 33 of the turnable ring is pivotally 40 connected to themain part of the ring by pin 43,

and for locking it in closed position it is provided at its outer endwith an upturned metal extension 44 with which engages a spring-actuatedcatch 45 on the adjoining portion of the ring,

45 said catch being pivoted to an upturned extension 46 of the ring. Asshown in Fig. 5 the catch is actuated to engage the upturned extensionon the segmental portion of the ring by means of a flat spring 41secured to the extension 46 and 5() bearing against the under side ofthe catch near the outer end thereof, and for convenience in operatingsaid catch it is located near the inner end of the handle.

In using the wrench it will be obvious, by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, that in first adjusting the wrench to fit the nut to be turnedthe sliding jaw l5 is-adjusted on the rack bar to or from the fixed jawI by turning the milled adjusting screw I1, and when the situation ofthe nut is such as to permit the wrench to be passed over the endthereof the segments of the ratchet wheel and ring are in lockedposition for turning the ring in operating the wrench in the usualmanner of ratchet wrenches-the spring-actuated pawl escaping .over theratchet teeth when the ring is turned in one direction and engaging theteeth when the ring is turned in the other direction for turning thenut. As hereinbefore explained the wrench may be adapted for use as apipe wrench by simply serrating the opposing faces of the jaws, and inthis case it is of course desirable that one side of the wrench beopened so that it can be passed over the pipe. In this instance and whenthe nut is so located as to require that the wrench be engaged therewithby a lateral movement the segmental portions of the ratchet wheel andring are. swung to open position, as shown in Fig. 3, it being necessaryonly to depress the catch 45 to disengage it from the upturned metalpiece 44, and when the segment of the ratchet wheel is held in closedposition by the hinged metal piece 40 this metal piece is swung open asshown in Fig. 3 after releasing the turn-button. It will be seen,therefore, that my improved form of ratchet wrench is well adapted foruse in manipulating nuts or engaging the ends of bolts under variousconditions, and that the particular construction and arrangement ofparts constituting the wrench provide a very desirable structure as wellas an implement of this general charaJter to facilitate operation on anut, pipe, or other object it is desired to turn, and though I havehereinafter specifically stated the claim on which I wish to base patentprotection it will be understood that modifications or changes may bemade within the spirit and scope of said claim.

I claim:-"

A ratchet wrench comprising a ratchet wheel with a fixed jaw and anadjustable jaw for engaging the object to be turned and having aperipheral groove alongside of the ratchet teeth, a ring turnable in thegroove and having a handle formed integrally therewith, a segmentalportion of the ratchet wheel and ring, respectively, being cut out toprovide an opening at one side of the wrench leading to the jaws, saidsegmental portions being hinged at one end to the ratchet wheel and ringrespectively, means for locking the segmental portions in closedposition, spaced apart apertured lugs on the handle of the turnablering, a spring actuated pawl slidable in the lugs to engage the ratchetwheel, and an operating rod at tached to the pawl and extendinglongitudinally of the handle, the outer end of said operating rod beingturned upwardly adjacent the outer or gripping portion of the handle forconvenience inv releasing the pawl.

GEORGE W. FIELDS.

